Crusaders FC vs Linfield: prediction and stats
PremiershipRegular Season - 24Kick-off on January 2, 2027 at 03:00 PM (UTC)Seaview, Belfast
The Footlab AI model makes Linfield the favourite at 70%, against 19% for a draw and 11% for Crusaders FC. The most likely score is 0-2.
Footlab AI's cards found the right outcome in 54.3% of the 4,481 matches already evaluated, against 33.3% for random guessing. See the measured accuracy
Probabilities recomputed on Nov 4, 2026. The full match card is recomputed continuously until kick-off.
Who will win Crusaders FC vs Linfield?
Linfield starts as the favourite with a 256-point Elo edge (1,764 vs 1,508).
Computed by the Footlab AI model from our own data only, with no AI analysis.
Probable lineup for Crusaders FC vs Linfield
Computed by Footlab AI from our own data only: recent lineups, squads and known absences. It does not take the press or last-minute absences into account.
Crusaders FC
4-3-3- 18A. Reid
- 27T. Maguire
- 17K. Bond
- 14D. Rocks
- 8H. Jewitt-White
- 11E. Dunlop
- 5S. Rough
- 4J. Blaney
- 22R. McKay
- 2K. Forsythe
- 1S. Callister
Linfield
4-3-3- 8K. McClean
- 29M. Fitzpatrick
- 30Kobei Moore
- 26I. Baird
- 14K. Nelson
- 5C. Shields
- 15B. Hall
- 27E. McGee
- 34Dane Neil McCullough
- 4R. Nolan
- 1C. Johns
Computed on November 4, 2026 at 08:45 AM (UTC).
What is the recent form of both teams?
Over their last 15 matches in all competitions, Crusaders FC have 6 wins, 0 draws and 9 defeats; Linfield have 11, 3 and 1.
The competition is shown for every match: in pre-season, several of these games are friendlies.
| Date | Opponent | Score | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 31, 2026 | Limavady United(away) | 4-1 | Premiership |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Coleraine FC(home) | 0-5 | Premiership |
| Oct 21, 2026 | Warrenpoint Town(away) | 2-5 | League Cup |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Ballymena United(away) | 1-2 | Premiership |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Larne(home) | 0-3 | Premiership |
| Date | Opponent | Score | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 31, 2026 | Dungannon Swifts(home) | 1-1 | Premiership |
| Oct 23, 2026 | Portadown(away) | 2-1 | Premiership |
| Oct 20, 2026 | Larne(away) | 2-1 | Premiership |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Carrick Rangers(away) | 2-2 | Premiership |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Bangor(home) | 2-0 | Premiership |
What does the head-to-head say?
Across the last 6 meetings: 0 Crusaders FC wins, 0 draws, 6 Linfield wins.
| Date | Score | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 19, 2026 | Linfield 1-0 Crusaders FC | Premiership |
| Jan 24, 2026 | Crusaders FC 0-1 Linfield | Premiership |
| Dec 13, 2025 | Linfield 4-0 Crusaders FC | Premiership |
| Nov 25, 2025 | Linfield 1-0 Crusaders FC | Premiership |
| Apr 1, 2025 | Linfield 3-1 Crusaders FC | Premiership |
| Mar 7, 2025 | Crusaders FC 0-2 Linfield | Premiership |
Last archived meeting: Linfield vs Crusaders FC on Sep 19, 2026
How many goals should we expect?
Crusaders FC score 1.5 and concede 2.3 goals per match over their last 15; Linfield score 1.9 and concede 0.8. The model gives a 58% probability of over 2.5 goals and 49% for both teams to score.
| Club | Goals scored / match | Goals conceded / match | Clean sheets | Both teams scored | Over 2.5 goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crusaders FC | 1.5 | 2.3 | 1 | 10/15 | 14/15 |
| Linfield | 1.9 | 0.8 | 6 | 8/15 | 7/15 |
Over the last 15 matches in all competitions.
Where do both teams sit in the table?
Crusaders FC sit 7th in Premiership (18 points from 14 matches) and Linfield sit 2nd (33 points from 14 matches).
| # | Club | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Linfield | 14 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 21 | 11 | 33 |
| 7 | Crusaders FC | 14 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 20 | 29 | 18 |
A question about Crusaders FC vs Linfield?
Ask Footlab AI: lineups, absences, player form, stats, how the match could unfold.
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How does Footlab AI compute this prediction?
The model combines both teams' Elo ratings (anchored by competition pool), their recent form weighted by opponent strength, home advantage and a Poisson matrix for scorelines. When bookmakers publish odds for the match, their consensus is built into the calculation: that is what proved most accurate on past matches. Its accuracy is measured continuously on the predictions actually published. Methodology and measured accuracy
Frequently asked questions
- Who is the favourite for Crusaders FC vs Linfield?
- The Footlab AI model makes Linfield the favourite at 70%, against 19% for a draw and 11% for Crusaders FC.
- Where and when is Crusaders FC vs Linfield played?
- Crusaders FC vs Linfield is played on January 2, 2027 at 03:00 PM (UTC) at Seaview, in the Premiership.
- Will there be over 2.5 goals?
- The Footlab AI model gives a 58% probability of at least three goals in this match.
- How reliable is this prediction?
- Footlab AI's cards found the right outcome (home win, draw or away win) in 54.3% of the matches already evaluated, against 33.3% for random guessing, a level comparable with the bookmakers' favourite. The comparison with bookmakers and the breakdown by competition and Elo gap are published on the accuracy page.